The two of them walked over to the dessert section. Positioned directly across from the main entrance, the display here was noticeably more exquisite than the rest of the restaurant—it was, after all, the establishment's first impression. The shelves were arranged at varying heights, showcasing dozens of desserts: glazed rum raisin cakes, blood orange mango mousses, "Pink Lady" hearts dusted with fine powder, and even the most common tiramisu, which had been sliced into perfect cubes topped with two delicate chocolate shards.
Zhang Jin’an leaned down, picked up two plates, and handed one to Jiang Siyang.
Zhang Jin’an selected a piece of cheesecake and a caramel pudding. Meanwhile, Jiang Siyang held his tongs, starting from the far left, but he still hadn't made a choice by the time he reached the Häagen-Dazs freezer.
Seeing Jiang Siyang’s hesitation, Zhang Jin’an walked over. "The matcha cake here is quite good."
"Really?" Following the direction of Zhang Jin’an’s finger, Jiang Siyang placed a piece of matcha red bean cake onto his plate.
"Do you like sweets?" Zhang Jin’an asked.
Jiang Siyang tapped his chin. "They're alright, as long as they aren't too cloying."
"Then you might want to try this brownie," Zhang Jin’an said. He happened to catch the eye of a masked chef standing nearby. Zhang Jin’an gave him a nod and asked, "Excuse me, the flavors haven't changed, have they?"
The chef shook his head. "No, our brownies are still on the less-sweet side."
"That’s good." Zhang Jin’an turned back to Siyang. "Aside from the rum raisin, which is a bit sweet, the other flavors here are fairly moderate."
Jiang Siyang’s eyes darted between the two of them. "Brother Zhang, how many times have you been here?"
"Ah," Zhang Jin’an told the truth, "I used to come here quite often. But they’ve recently renovated and reset everything, so you can just treat this as my first time."
Jiang Siyang: "?" *How can I treat it as your first time?*
Jiang Siyang found the logic nonsensical, yet he was truly speechless. He could only offer a smile as he leaned down to pick up the brownie Zhang Jin’an had recommended, carefully placing it next to the matcha cake before selecting a few more items.
Just as Zhang Jin’an was wondering if he should add one more thing to his own plate, he heard Jiang Siyang speak in a low voice. "Brother Zhang... will you come back again?"
Zhang Jin’an paused for a moment. He turned to look at Jiang Siyang’s profile and replied with a smile, "We’ll definitely hit fifty thousand viewers. You have hundreds of thousands of fans; have some confidence in yourself."
"I didn't mean that."
Zhang Jin’an watched as Jiang Siyang gave a slight shake of his head. The younger man straightened up, placed the tongs back on the tray, and turned to face him.
Their gazes met, direct and unwavering.
"If there wasn't this bet, would you still want to come, Brother Zhang?" Jiang Siyang asked.
Zhang Jin’an countered with a faint smile, "Do you want me to come?"
Jiang Siyang answered instantly, "We would all love for you to come more often."
*I don't want to hear "we," I want to hear "you." What do you think personally? Do you want me to come?*
Zhang Jin’an didn't ask it out loud. He simply smiled and said, "Sure, it’s a date." He knew exactly what he was doing.
Although he had initially joined the program with a specific purpose, things were different now. Whether their interactions were sufficient for the broadcast or whether the "Tuan Yuan" shippers wrote about them no longer mattered to him. He truly wanted to get to know Jiang Siyang better—not because of fanfiction, not because of anything on the internet, but simply as one person wanting to be friends with another.
So, as long as Jiang Siyang asked, he would definitely come.
"Really?" Jiang Siyang was clearly delighted by the answer. "That would be wonderful! Honestly, every time we do a show, I worry that the guests won't have a good experience. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."
"You're overthinking it. With this much food, it's impossible to have a bad experience," Zhang Jin’an joked.
"Is that so? If you feel that way, then today has been a success for us." Jiang Siyang’s voice was laced with a smile.
Seeing him like this, Zhang Jin’an teased, "I feel like praising the show works better than praising you. You look even happier than if I’d complimented you directly."
"Because this is something everyone participated in, so of course it makes me happier," Jiang Siyang replied earnestly.
Just then, they heard a server’s greeting from the entrance behind them: "Corona, good evening."
Jiang Siyang turned around curiously and saw a woman in a black suit skirt walking into the buffet. This, presumably, was Corona. Her hair draped over her shoulders with one side tucked behind her ear, and she wore low heels; she looked incredibly capable and neat. She appeared quite young and was even very beautiful. She had a prominent nose, natural eyebrows with just a slight arch at the ends, and hooded double eyelids. Generally, people with that eye shape looked a bit colder than others, but when she smiled while responding to the server, the sense of distance vanished instantly.
It was that very smile that gave Jiang Siyang a sense of familiarity.
Jiang Siyang turned to look at Zhang Jin’an. Zhang Jin’an’s hair was parted to the left and swept up, revealing half of his forehead. His features were quite striking, almost like a foreigner's, with a high, straight bridge to his nose. He was wearing a simple white shirt with a Dalmatian print in the center, paired with straight-leg trousers and sneakers.
The two of them were different from head to toe, yet Jiang Siyang felt they shared a resemblance.
Zhang Jin’an had naturally noticed Corona as well. However, Jiang Siyang saw him glance at his watch and murmur, "So soon?"
"You know her?" Jiang Siyang asked quickly.
"Mhm, I do," Zhang Jin’an gave a meaningful smile. "We're quite well-acquainted."
Corona walked toward them. As she got closer, Jiang Siyang realized she wasn't short; she was very tall, only about five or six centimeters shorter than them.
Corona said to them, "I was just looking for you. I didn't expect to find you here." Her voice was like her appearance—steady and pleasant.
"I came to get some food," Zhang Jin’an replied. "I didn't expect you to arrive at this hour either."
The two indeed seemed to have known each other for a long time, their conversation flowing smoothly. Corona spoke quickly, yet her articulation was crystal clear.
"I have things to attend to later." Corona pulled her sleeve down slightly to reveal her watch. "I can probably stay for another ten minutes or so." Having said that, she extended her hand to Jiang Siyang. "Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Corona. We should be the same age, so you can just call me Zhang Qingyue. 'Qing' as in clear, and 'Yue' as in divine pearl."
Jiang Siyang shook her hand. "Hello, Miss Zhang. I’m Jiang Siyang."
"I know your name." Zhang Qingyue released his hand and openly looked him up and down before smiling. "You're even more handsome in person than in photos."
"I thought you didn't follow the entertainment industry? How do you know Siyang?" Zhang Jin’an asked from the side.
Zhang Qingyue brushed back a stray lock of hair. "Did you forget? Zhang Shuyu spams her friend circle every day."
"Oh, right." Zhang Jin’an nodded with a laugh. "I forgot about her."
"The two of you..." Jiang Siyang voiced his suspicion. "Are siblings, right?"
Both of them looked at Jiang Siyang simultaneously, then at each other.
Zhang Qingyue tilted her chin toward Zhang Jin’an. "Did you tell him?"
Zhang Jin’an shrugged, looking innocent. "I didn't mention a thing."
Judging by their reactions, the sibling theory was almost certainly correct. Jiang Siyang finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was only because the name "Zhang Shuyu" had come up that he felt confident enough to guess; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to ask. What if he asked and they replied, "We're married"?
Zhang Qingyue was clearly intrigued. She asked Jiang Siyang, "How could you tell?"
Jiang Siyang explained quickly, "You look very similar when you smile."
"Really?" Zhang Qingyue touched her face. "Great. I'm only twenty-five, and I already look like I'm twenty-eight."
Zhang Jin’an: "?"
Zhang Jin’an smiled at Jiang Siyang. "Very few people can tell we're siblings right away. Siyang, you're truly the first."
Jiang Siyang hadn't expected such praise for a simple question. He said bashfully, "It’s not that big of a deal, is it?"
"It is. He’s telling the truth," Zhang Qingyue said, her eyes showing approval. "Zhang Shuyu is one thing—at least she and Jin’an both take after our mother, so people can see the connection. But if you put the two of us together, no one would ever guess we're siblings unless they were told. To be able to tell the first time you meet us... you really are the first."
Calling them siblings was no lie; together, the two of them could talk a person into feeling like they’d just passed the entrance exam for Tsinghua University simply by guessing correctly.
After a few more words about their recent lives, the three of them headed toward the seating area. When the others saw Zhang Qingyue, they all stood up. Jiang Siyang returned to his seat, while Zhang Jin’an temporarily placed his plate on Jiang Siyang’s table and introduced her to the group: "This is Corona, the floor manager here, and also my younger sister."
Zhang Qingyue gave a graceful fifteen-degree bow. "You can just call me Zhang Qingyue. Our general manager couldn't make it down due to some business, so I’ve come in his stead to see if anyone needs assistance. However, I won't be staying long; I have to leave shortly."
Everyone waved their hands dismissively. "No need for help, everything is great here!"
Zhang Qingyue smiled. "Is that so? That’s good then. If you do need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know." Jiang Siyang’s seat was the closest to the two of them, so he could see very clearly. That professional smile was exactly the same as Zhang Jin’an’s.
Jiu Chang’s gaze shifted back and forth between the two. "Big Brother, are you really siblings?! You don't look... alike..." Fearing Zhang Qingyue might misunderstand, Jiu Chang added hastily, "But you're both beautiful! Very beautiful!"
"It’s fine, I’m used to being told we look different," Zhang Qingyue explained with a smile. "Zhang Jin’an and our youngest sister both take after our mother, who is mixed-race. I take after our father, who is a local through and through. That’s why we look a bit different."
"Oh—no wonder," Jiu Chang nodded. "But you are very beautiful as well."
Zhang Qingyue smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Hey, everyone," Jiang PD said to the group. "How about we take a photo now? Miss Zhang Qingyue has to leave soon."
"Sure!"
"Huh?" Zhang Qingyue was startled. Before she could process it, everyone at the table had vacated their seats. Only she and Zhang Jin’an remained standing while several people bustled around behind her.
Zhang Qingyue looked around. Jiang Siyang and the boy who had just spoken to her were moving about, presumably notifying everyone about the photo.
Zhang Qingyue pointed at herself and asked Zhang Jin’an, "Do I really have to be in it too?"
Zhang Jin’an suppressed a laugh and gave her a four-word response: "You're already here."
Zhang Qingyue: "..."
In no time, everyone was gathered. Fortunately, the hallway of the main hall was wide enough to accommodate everyone standing in four rows. As the guest, Zhang Jin’an stood in the very center. To his right was Jiang PD, while the other members stood in his row in no particular order. Zhang Qingyue stood on the far right, essentially getting a full-body shot.
It was practically a public execution.
The photographer was a young waitress. She crouched down, first taking two photos with the production crew’s camera, then two more with the director’s phone.
After the photos were taken, Zhang Qingyue shook hands with Jiang PD. "Thank you for including me. However, if these photos are posted online, I hope you can blur my face."
Jiang PD was surrounded by people crowding to see the photos on the phone. Pan Ming, who was holding the phone, heard their conversation and asked, "Oh, I understand. Are you worried about the exposure?"
Zhang Qingyue shook her head.
"She’s not afraid of that," Zhang Jin’an exposed her. "She’s afraid of looking ugly."
Zhang Qingyue nodded.
Everyone: "..."
Jiu Chang walked over, one hand on Jiang Siyang’s shoulder and the other on Zhang Jin’an’s. He said to Zhang Qingyue, "The three of you have absolutely no right to worry about that. No right at all!"
Zhang Qingyue: "?"
Jiang Siyang: "?"
Neither Zhang Qingyue nor Jiang Siyang understood the sentiment, but Zhang Jin’an calmly uttered four letters: "N-S-D-D."
Jiang Siyang: "..." Fortunately, he had heard the term before; otherwise, he wouldn't have recognized it as "NSDD."
Jiang Siyang remembered the term; it usually meant "You're right" (*Ni shuo de dui*).
If he understood it, Jiu Chang certainly did. Upon hearing it, Jiu Chang turned triumphantly to the others. "See? Even Big Brother says I'm right."
However, Jiang Siyang saw Zhang Jin’an shake his head. "The Chinese language is profound. What I meant was: 'You're the little brother' (*Ni shi didi*)."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
张清玥 | Zhang Qingyue | Zhang Jin'an's younger sister.
玥 | Yue | A character meaning "divine pearl."
内双 | Hooded double eyelids | A specific eye shape common in East Asia.
老幺 | The youngest | Refers to the youngest child in a family.
NSDD | NSDD | Internet slang. Can mean "You're right" (你说得对) or "You're the little brother/novice" (你是弟弟).
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Unable to be Arrogant [Entertainment Circle] | Chapter 42 | Family Resemblance | Novela.app | Novela.app
